Armenian Trace - University of Pittsburgh
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University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a public research institution located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Established in 1787 as the Pittsburgh Academy, the University now includes 17 schools and colleges on its main campus and has an approximately 28,000 students.
The Motto of the University is “Veritas et Virtus” (in Latin), “Truth and Virtue” (in English).
Pitt has a notable history of producing successful alumni, including 6 Nobel laureates, 3 Pulitzer Prize winners, 3 Academy Award winners, members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 7 United States senators, 3 United States cabinet officials, and 5 U.S. state governors.
The Nationality Rooms at the University of Pittsburgh
The Cathedral of Learning is a 42-story skyscraper (163 m) in the Late Gothic Revival style located on the University of Pittsburgh’s main campus in Oakland (Pennsylvania, United States). It is the second-tallest university building in the world, after Moscow State University’s main building.
The Nationality Rooms at the the Cathedral of Learning consist of 31 classrooms that showcase the cultural heritage of ethnic groups that have contributed to the city of Pittsburgh. The purpose and theme of each Nationality Room reflects the cultural and national heritage of the country it represents.
The represented nationalities are: Armenian, Austrian, Chinese, Czechoslovak, English, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Indian, Irish, Israeli, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Philippines, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Scottish, Swedish, Swiss, Syrian/Lebanese, Turkish, Ukrainian, Welsh and Yugoslav.
Armenian Room at the Pittsburgh University
The design of the Armenian Classroom was inspired by the 10th century Sanahin Monastery.
As Armenia adopted Christianity as a state religion in 301 AD, Christian imagery such as carvings in stone and wood can be found throughout the space, including the door, which features an image of the sun rising above the sacred Mt. Ararat.
Also, the wall of the classroom features the Armenian Alphabet, which was created in 404 A.D. and is one of the oldest alphabets still in use today.
The Armenian Room is the heaviest of the Nationality Rooms because made of 22 tons of Indiana limestone. The cornerstone is a basalt stone from the Sanahin Monastery. In the mortar behind it, there are the thumbprints of 5 elderly members of the Armenian diaspora living in Pittsburgh, as well as the handprint of an Armenian baby, symbolizing the continuation of the Armenian community in Western Pennsylvania.
Sanahin Monastery in Armenia
The Sanahin Monastery Complex (in Armenian Սանահին) is a prominent medieval cultural center in Armenia dating back to the 10th century. It was well-known for its school of miniaturists and calligraphers and served as a repository for books and manuscripts. Sanahin is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Tours of the Nationality and Heritage Rooms
Since 1944, a student organization at Pitt known as Quo Vadis (in Latin “Where are you going?”) has been conducting tours of the Rooms of Nationalities for visitors. These tours have gained popularity and receive around 40,000 visitors annually. It is estimated that the Rooms of Nationalities receive a total of 100,000 visitors per year, including those on tours and independent tourists.
Visits to the Nationality and Heritage Rooms can be scheduled in advance by making a reservation at least 3 days before the desired tour date.
University of Pittsburgh on the map
Address: 4200 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA